Assam Cabinet approves compensation, judicial, SIT probe into coal mine flooding
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters that chances of finding survivors were very slim as it has been over 10 days since the coal mine was flooded
The Assam Cabinet on Thursday approved ₹10 lakh compensation each to the kin of the four workers whose bodies were recovered from the flooded coal mine in the Dima Hasao district and the five who remain untraced despite multi-agency rescue operation for over 10 days. It also decided to institute a judicial and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probes.
Nearly 40 workers were in the illegal mine on January 6 when it was flooded. At least 25 of them managed to escape from the nearly 300-feet well-shaped mine while nine got trapped.
Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters after the Cabinet meeting that chances of finding survivors were very slim as it has been over 10 days since the flooding. “The Cabinet approved ₹10 lakhs to kin of those whose bodies have been found and those yet to be traced.”
Sarma said retired high court judge Anima Hazarika will head a judicial commission to probe the mishap and fix responsibility. The commission will submit its report in three months.
The Cabinet directed Assam Police chief GP Singh to form the SIT to probe the criminal negligence. The judicial commission will monitor the SIT probe.
Sarma said that around 220 illegal mines were operating in the same area. He said they would look into satellite imagery of these mines. “We have instructed departments concerned to find ways of filling up these mines with the help of Central Mine Planning and Design Institute [Rachi],” said Sarma.
He said the Cabinet had a detailed discussion with officials at the scene of the flooded mine. Sarma added the mine was flooded with around 140 million litres of water. “We have extracted around 4 million litres from the mine. Nearly 100 million litres remain there. The officials informed us that if the present rate of dewatering continues, it will take another 25-60 days to flush out the remaining water,” Sarma said.
He said that the Cabinet asked the agencies involved in the process to continue the dewatering with the Army’s help until “a logical conclusion is reached”.